The real issue is that since the US Government has decided that encryption
is a weapon and that the US Constitution guarantees the people the right
to own and bear arms. As a matter of fact, this falls more into the area
of the intent of the Constitution than guns do.
The reason that the population of the US is armed has more to do with
providing the final check against government oppression than it does
personal safety or recreation. They wanted to make sure that the
government would not disarm the people leaving them no means of revolt
should that be needed at some point in the future. In that light, even a
ban on automatic and assault weapons is against the constitution as long
as the army and police have these weapons.
As for strong encryption, yes, we have the right to keep and bear arms and
we have the right to protect our privacy.
Is software speech, no. Can software be used as a weapon, yes.
George Bonser
The Linux "We're never going out of business" sale at an FTP site near you!